Leona Maguire cruised home in three under par but an opening 69 left her six shots behind Jasmine Suwannapura in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

The Thai star (31) made eight birdies in a bogey-free round at Pinnacle Country Clu to open up a one-stroke lead over China’s Liqi Zeng, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and Mexico’s Maria Fassi.

Starting on the back nine in winds gusting to 30mph, Maguire followed seven pars with a bogey at the eighth to turn in one over.

But she found her range coming home, reeling off four birdies, including two to finish, to share 41st place in Rogers.

Suwannapura’s 63 was her lowest on tour since the 2023 Maybank Championship and she was pleased with her efforts.

“Me and my husband been having fun out there,” she said. “Couple holes I ask him to take a look for me. We make two birdies from that, and he got super excited.

“We just have fun out there. Keep the momentum going. We literally played with the wind today. Got pretty gusty, too.”

Suwannapura, who leads the field after hitting 17 greens in regulation, birdied the first, fifth and seventh before adding five birdies on the back nine, including four in her last six holes.

“I think it's starting from last week I think everything coming, getting better with my irons, have more confidence.

“It's towards the end of the year and my goal is to be playing CME and get to see my parents in Thailand walking with me [at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2025],” said Suwannapura, who entered the week ranked 75th in the Race to CME Globe.

Zeng, Ciganda, Buhai and former University of Arkansas Razorback Fassi are close behind after carding seven-under 64s to sit in a tie for second.  

“I played very good last week in Cincinnati,” Fassi said after making ten birdies in her lowest round on tour.

“We had a bad day on Saturday, but overall, I know my game is as good as it's ever been. “I think my mind and my heart are also as good as they have been in a long time. So I'm just happy we're seeing some of those results that we want.”

Rookie Zeng (18) carded the best round of the afternoon wave as she looks for her maiden win.

“I'm feeling really lucky after today,” said Zeng. “There were a lot of chances on [my] front nine that I got a hold of.

“Also a few minor mistakes that happened, but I was able to save them. “Bogey-free round is always a reason to be happy.”

Dottie Ardina, Yu Liu and sponsor’s invitation Maria Jose Marin are tied for sixth in six-under.

Defending champion Haeran Ryu sits in a tie for 42nd alongside Maguire after two-under 69s while winning Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis, who announced her retirement following the 2024 season, opened with a one-under 70 to lie tied for 62nd.